Cornish Biodiversity Network  -  Supporting Wildlife Recording

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Cornish Red Data (2009)

The descriptive text, below the map, is from the Cornish Red Data Book (2009). The map on this web page depicts the organisms distribution and shows the records made pre-2000 and those made since.

Fumaria occidentalis - Cornish Ramping-fumitory



Range & Status

Native; endemic to Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.

Regional Distribution

In total it has been recorded from 256 1km squares which are almost entirely restricted to West Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. In West Cornwall the main populations are centred around Helston (SW62) and the east Lizard area (SW61), Hayle (SW53), Camborne (SW64) and Newquay (SW86). On the Isles of Scilly it is only found on St. Mary' s (SV91), although it has occurred on St. Martin' s (SV91). In East Cornwall it has only been seen in 14 sites. The total population size is probably less than 20,000 plants.

Habitat & Ecology

An annual growing in arable and horticultural fields, gardens and allotments, in waste places, and on sunny Cornish hedges. In West Cornwall and on the Isles of Scilly the populations fluctuate from year to year. It does occur in East Cornwall, but mostly in the extreme west, and even here seemingly as a casual. It can appear as a short-lived pioneering species wherever soil is disturbed, and rarely occurs in abundance.

Threats

Changes in farming practices may be leading to a loss of some sites; also herbicide treatment of hedges and field headlands.

Conservation

Few if any sites are protected.



Click here to see Aphotoflora images by David Fenwick

Source:

I.J. Bennallick, S. Board, C.N. French, P.A. Gainey, C. Neil, R. Parslow, A. Spalding and P.E. Tompsett. eds. 2009. Red Data Book for Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly. 2nd Edition.Croceago Press.

The Cornish Red Data Book Project was led by the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Federation for Biological Recorders (CISFBR). The full text and species accounts (minus the maps) are available on the CISFBR website.



Cornish Biodiversity Network. 2017.